On This Date In 2008

Four years ago today, Barack Obama delivered a speech at Berlin's Siegessäuleto to an estimated crowd of more than 200,000.

Obama introduced himself as a "fellow citizen of the world" while proclaiming that he didn't "look like the Americans who've previously spoken in this great city."

Some of the reactions from around the world that followed his speech:

The Guardian (UK): Obama wows Berlin crowd with historic speech

The Telegraph (UK): Barack Obama's visit causes excitement in Germany

The New York Times: Obama gets pop star reception in Berlin

ABC News: Obama Echoes Reagan in Call for Global Unity

CNN: Obama wins hearts, not minds, in Berlin

Der Spiegel: 'Will a German Speak at the Washington Monument in 2009?'

Der Speigel: Obama's Berlin Speech: People of the World, Look at Me

Shortly before the speech, after being told the Pentagon would not allow Obama to be accompanied by campaign staff and the press, the Obama campaign announced that it was scrubbing plans for Obama to visit wounded American troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

On This Date In 2008

On this date in 2008, Obama appeared before the NAACP national convention:

The Illinois senator's speech was a historic first: an African-American poised to be the presidential nominee of a major party addressing the nation's oldest civil rights organization.
...
"If I have the privilege of serving as your next president, 100 years after the founding of the NAACP, I will stand up for you the same way that earlier generations of Americans stood up for me -- by fighting to ensure that every single one of us has the chance to make it if we try," Obama said.

Having been given that privilege, in large part because of the historic turnout and margin among black voters, Obama decided this year, in the heat of another presidential election, to . . . skip giving a speech to the NAACP due to "scheduling" issues. Call it another historic first: an African-American president refusing to address the nation's oldest civil rights organization.

Obama sent Vice President Biden instead.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Black Clergy Group Protested Same-Sex Marriage at NAACP Convention

Black Pastors Coalition: 'We're Going to Keep the Heat on Obama'

On This Date In 2008

Four years ago today, Obama debuted the Great Seal of the Obama Campaign of 2008 (unofficial title), complete with its Latin slogan, "Vero Possumus", which roughly translated to "Yes We Can".

Met with widespread derision at the audacious display of arrogance, even from his own side of the aisle, the seal was hushed away three days later, never to be seen again.

On This Date In 2008

On June 19, 2008 Obama announced his decision to break the promise of accepting public funding for his campaign. The announcement also confirmed the breaking of his promise to negotiate with John McCain on the issue of campaign funding.

Senator Barack Obama's announcement Thursday that he would finance his campaign with private contributions was the final step of a slow walk away from public financing that began almost as soon as his campaign started 17 months ago.

Obama said he'd pursue public financing "aggressively." He committed to it in a written questionnaire. He even said, repeatedly, that he would meet personally with Senator John McCain to discuss a deal.

Instead, his campaign never even asked the Republican's aides for a meeting on the subject. And Obama, both campaigns said, never asked for a face-to-face meeting with McCain.

Obama made this decision -- becoming the first major party presidential candidate to do so since public funding was instituted -- because he knew he could raise more money outside of the system than in it, and that the money he could raise would dwarf that of McCain.

The Obama fundraising juggernaut led me to a post a couple months later, introudcing the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Windfall Profits Tax Reform Act of 2008.

In the 2012 campaign, the Obama campaign's fundraising has begun to lag that of Republican opponent Mitt Romney.

So we can expect to hear anew the calls about the evils of money in politics that were suspended in 2008.

On This Date In 2008

Four years ago today yesterday, Hillary Clinton ended her historic bid to become the Democratic nominee for president.

Hillary then:

After Obama won the 2008 election, he tapped Clinton to become his secretary of state.

Hilary now:

Or another way to look at it...

Hillary then:

Hillary now:

On This Date in 2008

Four years ago today, Barack Obama declared victory in the Democratic primaries in a speech given in St. Paul, Minnesota. Most notably, that Jun 3rd speech included these words:

The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment – this was the time – when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals.

Most people who follow politics remember those words, although in many cases in order to mock them. Four years is quite a bit less time than "generations", but I doubt anyone is looking back and telling their children that at that moment any of those things happened.

But I can't be sure of that. So I make that claim with profound humility and limitless faith.

Have I told you how awesome my humility is? How incredible is my faith? I really have a limitless faith in the profundity of my humility.

On This Date In 2008

A Romney-backing Super-PAC recently made news when it was reported that it was considering running ads about Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor and spiritual mentor. In 2008, Reverend Wright became infamous when videos of his sermons became public, ultimately leading to Obama disowning him in a press conference.

On this date in 2008, Barack Obama resigned from Trinity United Church of Christ, the church at which Reverend Wright had served as pastor for decades:

(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that he has resigned from the church where controversial sermons by his former pastor and other ministers created political headaches for his campaign.

"We don't want to have to answer for everything that's stated in the church," the Democratic front-runner said. "We also don't want the church subjected to the scrutiny that a presidential campaign legitimately undergoes."

Obama said he was resigning "with some sadness."

"This is not a decision I come to lightly," he said.

Obama has not become a member of any church since.

On This Date In 2008

Who hasn't been having fun with the Fauxcahontas story?

Poor Elizabeth Warren. Her Senate aspirations have taken a hit with the never-ending story about her seemingly risible claims of Native American ancestry.

Mark Steyn writes today:

As The Fordham Law Review reported, “Harvard Law School hired its first woman of color, Elizabeth Warren, in 1995.” There is no evidence that Mrs. Warren, now the Democrats’ Senate candidate, is anything other than 100 percent white. She walks like a white, quacks like a white, looks whiter than white. She’s the whitest white since Frosty the Snowman fell in a vat of Wite-Out. But she “self-identified” as Cherokee, so that makes her a “woman of color.” Why, back in 1984 she submitted some of her favorite dishes to the Pow Wow Chow cookbook, a “compilation of recipes passed down through the Five Tribes families.”

The recipes from “Elizabeth Warren — Cherokee” include a crab dish with tomato mayonnaise. Mrs. Warren’s fictional Cherokee ancestors in Oklahoma were renowned for their ability to spear the fast-moving Oklahoma crab. It’s in the state song: “Ooooooklahoma! Where the crabs come sweepin’ down the plain . . . ” But then the white man came and now the Oklahoma crab is extinct, and at the Cherokee clambakes they have to make do with Mrs. Warren’s traditional Five Tribes recipe for Cherokee Lime Pie.

And, of course, we had our fun with Warren's ancestry here -- although even that tenuous lineage has since been debunked.

In other Native American news, on this date in 2008, Barack Obama was adopted by the Crow Indians:

CROW AGENCY, Mont. – As the Democratic presidential campaign has moved from season to season over the last 16 months, the political rallies and the town meetings often have taken on a similar feeling and a familiar flavor.

Not so today, here on the Crow Indian Reservation.

As Senator Barack Obama campaigned for the presidential primary in Montana – one of two states that closes out the Democratic nominating process on June 3 – he was welcomed here by a few thousand people. In a private ceremony, he was adopted into the Crow Nation and bestowed the name, “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.”

“Senator Obama, welcome to Crow Country,” said Carl Venne, the tribal chairman.

The crowd thundered with applause as Mr. Obama was escorted onto stage by Hartford and Mary Black Eagle. They were his sponsors – or new parents, according to local custom – who were selected because they have five living generations on the reservation.
...
“I like my new name: Barack Black Eagle. That is a good name,” Mr. Obama told the outdoor audience. As he recognized local officials, he stumbled over a few names, saying with a smile: “I was just adopted into the tribe. I’m still working on my pronunciations.”

They say everyone is a Native American for 15 minutes. Actually, they don't say that. But people like Warren and Obama certainly believe they're entitled to it.

Adopted Native American Barack Black Eagle Obama shows his deep
respect for his adopted culture by ever so solemnly presenting
Joe Medicine Crow - High Bird with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

On This Date In 2008

It was on May 5, 2008 that the infamous photo of domestic terrorist and Obama pal Bill Ayers stepping on the American flag begain spreading throughout the internet:

Actually, it was on May 4, 2008 that the photos from the 2001 article in Chicago Magazine were given life by blogger Marathon Pundit. But it was once the likes of Hot Air and Michelle Malkin and NR's Campaign Spot and many others linked it on May 5 that the world became aware of it.

Ayers infamous quote, "guilty as sin, free as a bird" was also part of this article.

In the end, most voters concluded, "I don't care, Obama is awesome" in the 2008 election.

And here we are.

On This Date in 2008

A few days ago came word that David Axelrod decided to drag Obama's former pastor and spiritual mentor Reverand Jeremiah Wright into a speech. From BigGovernment:

David Axelrod, chief political strategist for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign and former White House political adviser, defended Jeremiah Wright on Tuesday evening in a speech in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Axelrod described the initial news reports in 2008 on Obama’s long-time family pastor and mentor as “ninety seconds of vitriol plucked from thirty years of sermons by some enterprising opposition researcher.”

The link in the quote above takes you to a March report from ABC.

However, even earlier than the ABC report, the Baltimore Sun reported on a Reverand Wright sermon . . . on this date in 2008:

Man should not put limits on what God can do, but that's what people always do, [Reverand Wright] told the crowd. Just as God made five loaves and two fishes feed thousands, God has provided liberators for blacks in the past - from Nat Turner to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and now Barack Obama. But, Wright said, there were always reasons not to follow them.

Some argue that blacks should vote for Clinton "because her husband was good to us," he continued.

"That's not true," he thundered. "He did the same thing to us that he did to Monica Lewinsky."

It was 61 days from the Baltimore Sun report until Obama gave his Major Speech on Race in America -- the speech where he confidently declared, "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother." It was then an additional 42 days from that historic speech to Obama disowning his former pastor and spiritual mentor out of political necessity.

On This Date At This Point In 2007

To hear some talk about it -- the next speech, debate, poll, controversy, hit piece, campaign ad, press release or gaffe will decide the entire GOP primary.
Let's take a look back to the 2008 election cycle -- specifically this timeframe during that cycle.

We should vote for a candidate based on his electability!

From November 2007 through January 2008 -- McCain was the most electable Republican against the eventual Democratic nominee. How'd that work out?

The thing is -- McCain was way back in the pack at this point in 2007.

So-and-so is the frontrunner in [insert early primary state here]! And what's-his-name is toast!

Iowa, RCP Poll Average, November 1, 2007:

At this point in the 2008 cycle, Romney's lead in Iowa was double that of eventual winner Mike Huckabee, 28% - 14.5%. McCain, who didn't put a lot of emphasis on Iowa, was at 8%. By the time the caucus votes were tallied, Huckabee more than doubled his Nov 1 poll percentage.

New Hampshire, RCP Poll Average, November 1, 2007:

At this point in the 2008 cycle, Romney's lead in New Hampshire was nearly double that of eventual winner John McCain, 29% - 16.4%. By the time the primary votes were actually cast, McCain nearly doubled his Nov 1 poll percentage, and Rudy Giuliani, who was second in the Nov 1 poll, had his percentage more than halved.

South Carolina, RCP Poll Average, November 1, 2007:

At this point in the 2008 cycle, Romney's lead in South Carolina was 7 points over eventual winner John McCain, 19.3% - 12.3%. At this point, eventual 2nd place finisher Mike Huckabee was at 6.0%. By the time the primary votes were actually cast, McCain more than doubled his Nov 1 poll percentage, and Huckabee more than quadrupled his.

But this time it's different!

Sure, and the last time was different. Except it wasn't. And the next time will be different too! Except it won't be. But this time......blah, blah, blah.

Trying to be the first one to call the race is exciting punditry, and can probably garner a person attention and hits for being provocative. But as for pundits, polls and the press being reliably predictive at this point? Blah, blah, blah.

On This Date in 2007

Four years ago today, a reporter observed Obama without the traditional flag pin worn by just about every politician in America. When asked about it, Obama gave this answer:

"You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin," Obama said. "Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq War, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest."

The following summer (as noted in the last post) Obama gave a Major Speech on Patriotism, in large part to defend against the idea that he wasn't sufficiently patriotic. Of course, in the fashion of a true cheap political stunt he gave the speech in Independence, MO - days before the 4th of July!

And speaking of fashion, Obama was wearing a flag pin.

On This Date In 2007

Today a powerful and dangerous Hurricane Irene is making its way up the Atlantic coast.

Four years ago today, interestingly enough, then-Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama was in New Orleans castigating President Bush from the pulpit for the way the government had responded to Hurricane Katrina two years prior.

August 26, 2007:

Obama began his visit to New Orleans, his fourth since the storm, at a service at First Emanuel Baptist Church on Carondelet Street. The crowd warmed to him as he alluded the Sermon on the Mount, with its admonition to Christians to build on a rock of faith in order to withstand life's storms.

Obama said the federal government needs to rebuild New Orleans on a new foundation [...]

He said Hurricane Katrina exposed the Bush administration's failure to focus on domestic problems as it pursued an expensive war in Iraq. He said the storm was a call to correct historical social inequity.

"For all our wealth and power, something was not right in America," he said. "Our foundation was not built on a rock."

It is easy to criticize when someone else is in charge - easy to say that you would be better than that person if you were in charge. Obama took that easy route four years ago.

I truly hope Obama has it easier now than President Bush did during Katrina, and that Irene weakens or changes course such that it does much less damage than many are currently predicting. I hope no one is in any position to use Obama's response to Irene in as politically motivated a way against him as he did against Presdident Bush.